Taking the Stage: How Women Can Speak Up, Stand Out, and Succeed

Chapter Twenty-OneUnderstand the Power of Presence

Imagine a person sitting across from you at a table. At first you don't notice that quiet and self-effacing individual; but when she sits up straight and begins to speak, she becomes present in an utterly compelling way. What has she done? She has turned up a dial within herself, and tapped an inner energy—of courage, and of risk. It is an expansive energy that serves as the foundation of being fully present.

These words from Linda Griffiths, a playwright and instructor in The Humphrey Group, perfectly describe the power of presence—the focus of this book's final section. When you are on stage—whether it's at a podium, in a meeting room, on a conference call, or in a corridor conversation—you ...